Step Lightly
by Starry Lights in the Sky
Summary: Being reincarnated is never fun when you remember everything from your past life. Especially not when your reborn as the little sister to Lily Evans.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I don't own any Harry Potter characters...**

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For some people, they know when they're about to die. Maybe they'd been sick in a hospital for months, and their disease turned terminal. Or maybe it's like one of those sciences in a movie, where they see the car come towards them in slow motion, but they can't prevent it from hitting them.

I wouldn't be with that group. When I did die, I hadn't seen it coming at all. I was there one second, and just gone in the next.

It really stinks, because I was just a fourteen year old child. There was so much I had still wanted to do. Fall in love, graduate, get famous, and kiss a boy.

I wish I had known that I'd die on that day, in that bus full of volleyball players. Maybe I would've tried to do more with my life.

But I didn't, and wishing I did won't change how anything turned out.

Enough babbling, the real topic these days is what happens _after _you die. I don't know what'll happen to everyone else, but I sure know what happened to me.

There was a long period of time where I just sort of chilled out in a dark, warming space. I didn't have to think, move, or give any effort at all. It was great, perfectly blissful.

After a while of that, I did worry a little bit though. I was scared that my older brother had been right. That there truly is _nothing _after you die. And I just couldn't be satisfied with that.

… Then, of course, a certain event took place. One that made me wish I'd never doubted my dark, blissful haven.

To sum up the _event, _all I can say is that there was lots of slime, screaming, piercing light, and sobbing on my part. Just imagine being squeezed through somewhere tight while being burned alive. Then, _on top of that, _think of people screaming and yelling right in your eardrums.

Not exactly what I'd call a party.

For the first few moments after what I have dubbed "The Great Squeeze" my whole world was a blinding white. For a brief moment, I wondered if I had just transitioned to Heaven, but then I figured the transition would've been more elegant than being squeezed like a melon.

My eyes finally focused (Hint Number One: I had eyes.), and I wasn't too impressed by what I saw. I was surrounded by babies. Here's me, a spec in a sea of pink and blue. What is this. I'm a fourteen year old, I don't belong with a bunch of babies.

I attempted to lift my right hand, but the weight of it was suddenly incredible. It took all of the bones in my body to lift it to my view.

Seeing it made me yelp, and release _the _arm. It was all small, and pale, and chubby.

I think I know why I'm surrounded by babies… It's because I _am _a baby.

Huh, of all the things I'd considered about what happens after death, I had never considered this. Reincarnation…

Before I could ponder anything else, a sweet looking nurse with a bob of blonde hair swept me up, carrying me from the baby emporium. And, there's no way I stuck my tongue out at the rest of the babies in a bragging way.

She brought me to another hospital room. (I assumed I was in a hospital and not some breeding compound. Actually, theres a maternity unit.) The thing I focused on was the pretty lady in the hospital bed. She seemed a bit stressed, with sweat glazed on her skin and her hair strewn about in tangles. But her face sure beamed when I came into her view.

"I think it's time that you held your daughter, Ivy. So, here's your lovely Juniper," the nurse said happily, handing me over to the woman. My… Mother? I immediately felt more comfortable with this new woman than I had with the nurse. I looked up at her face, and she looked quite beautiful, with her glorious red mane, and her glowing emeralds.

"Juniper, I'm your mum," she rasped softly, smiling at me. I felt myself back, and even let out that cute baby giggle. That made her beam even brighter.

"Mum! I want to meet my new sister!" I heard a child-like voice say, followed by a pattering of feet. I inwardly groaned. Siblings were such a hassle, my older brother had been so annoying before.

"Shush, Petunia, we don't want to frighten her. Come closer so she can see you," she beckoned, and I saw the child come into view.

The child looked to be about four years old. She had a a dark black hair color, and the same emerald eyes as the woman. She looked sort of familiar, in a way.

I heard heavier footsteps enter the room, and soon two more people came into my view. It was a man who must've been the father, and he was holding another little girl. The girl looked like a copy of the mom, with fiery red hair and emerald orbs.

Now, she _really _looked familiar.

"Lily, Petunia, meet your new sister; Juniper Evans," the mom murmured.

Evans… Lily Evans, and Petunia Evans. The blazing red hair, the piercing green eyes…

I widened my eyes, beginning to connect the dots. Everyone around me was speaking with a British accent. These parents had two older daughters named Petunia and Lily. Their last name was Evans.

Forgive me if I sound insane, but was I just reincarnated into the world of Harry Potter?

I feel my eyes widen and my face go white. My mouth lets out a loud wail.

I guess I feel guilty for stressing out the mom and scaring the other children, but if they were me they would totally understand. My first life was an absolute fail, and now my second one was bound to end in tragedy.

I always knew I was lucky.

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**I probably shouldn't be balancing another story, but I just couldn't help myself.**

**I hoped you liked the prologue! **

**Reviews are appreciated**

**See ya :)**


	2. First Word

Petunia had been obsessed with the idea of being a big sister. Which didn't really make sense, she had Lily too. Maybe she just felt more qualified this time, having had the experience with Lily.

No. As if four year olds thought that way, silly me.

Anyway, she made it upon herself to be with me _at all times. _And I mean _all. _When my new mom changed my diapers, when my new mom fed me, when my new mom put me to bed in my crib. I wouldn't even be surprised if she watched me sleep.

Long story short, she got sick of me after five days. I don't particularly blame her, I'm a bit insufferable at these times.

I'm crying ninety-five percent of the time, and when I'm not doing that I'm sleeping or… Being _breast-fed. _(Note: Worst experience _ever._)

Don't judge me, on the inside I was still a hormonal teenage girl. One that had just lost _everything._ See, the thing about reincarnation, it's cool for the first five seconds, and then you realize you have lost a lot. It isn't like I can do something to take my mind off of it either, I'm a newborn that hasn't even hit double digit _days _yet.

So, all that's left is my thoughts, and boy do they wander. I think of all of the things I will never do again. I'll never tease my brother again. My _real mom _will never cook with me.

One time, my friends said that if I ever moved, or died, there would be a bodily-shaped hole where I should be.

Then I think of _what _family I was born into. What _world. _It really isn't fair, because if I had been reborn _after _the series it probably would've been cool. There wouldn't have been the impending war, and assured second death.

But, you know, no one ever takes what I want into account.

Strangely enough, Lily has started to spend more time with me. Well, not exactly _with _me, more like in the near vicinity of me.

The first time it happened, I actually yelped in fear. My, well, mom I guess, had ditched me in my playpen. I was being my usual mopey self, but had at least given crying a rest. (Crying made my throat ache, and my nose run. They didn't leave any kleenex around for me.) So, I settled for laying out on the ground, and staring forlornly up at the toys hanging above my head.

I was so consumed by my mind that I didn't hear Lily come in and plop in her tomato bean-bag chair. (Considering she was a physically tipsy fifteen month old, I must've been pretty far gone not to hear her.)

Of course, hearing a page turn was what gave me such a scare. Why I heard that small noise and not Lily thumping across the floor, I don't know.

I looked over in surprise, and there she'd been; being swallowed by the enormous tomato, with a colorful children's book hiding her face from my view.

She must've been really involved at that point, as she didn't even glance up at my yelp of surprise. I couldn't help but grin. Lily was already obsessed with books.

Lily snapped her book shut, finally letting me see her face. She had a goofy smile sprawled across her face; her mind must've still been in the book. Though I _doubt _she was actually reading the words, she was just looking at the pictures.

It's like she just remembered where she was, and who she was with, as she made eye-contact with me. Green to bl- I mean whatever my new eye color was.

The last thing I wanted was to be stuck here, as a fifteen month old Lily Evans _studied _me.

"Book?" Lily spoke, her tone questioning. Her voice _had _to be one of angelic innocence. Then she tilted her head to the side, just like my dog would do every time I spoke.

Well, I might've been _kind of _interested in what children's book she was reading. It wouldn't hurt to have her show me. I'd do it myself, but I was rendered physically useless due to recent circumstances.

So, I reached out to Lily with my chubby arms and giggled.

Lily smiled, dragging herself and the picture book (which was the size of her torso, might I add) towards my playpen. She grabbed me, pulling me to her chest, and resting my head against her stomach. The book unfolded before my face, and Lily started to tell the story in the toddler babbling language.

If only either of us had noticed Petunia standing in the doorway, her hands on her hips and tears brimming in her eyes.

That moment with Lily was what caused the seed of jealousy to be planted in Petunia. All I had to do was water that seed, in order to make it grow.

* * *

The snow fell steadily from the clouds. Seven months had passed, and it was now Lily's second birthday. My mum was bundling me up in a million sweaters, mumbling about how I shouldn't really be allowed out in these temperatures. But, of course, Lily wanted to go out to play, and I did too.

As soon as our mum deemed us fit, Lily, Petunia, and I were allowed outside. I wished I could walk, but my baby limbs weren't ready for the strain yet. So, I was stuck being carried by Petunia.

Lily and Petunia begun on their snowman, leaving me to sit in the snow. I was pretty much useless, only being able to cup snow in my hand, and make snow angels. Lily was hardly much help either, choosing to instead spin around, and catch snowflakes on her tongue. Petunia was left with the majority of the work.

"Lily, _you _were the one who wanted to build a snowman in the first place, and now you aren't helping," Petunia moaned, finishing up with the bottom of the snowman-in-progress.

"But we've got our own little _warm-man_ right here," Lily replied, playfully pinching my cheeks. If it weren't her birthday I would _so _yank her hair.

I'd been thinking of what I could possibly get Lily for her birthday. I can't drive somewhere to get something, let alone _walk. _But, I had been saving my first word. I mean, not my first sound, I'd been content with blubbering nonsense, after all. Honestly, I could start talking in complete sentences any day I want to, but how messed up would that be. Lily's two years old, and she's just now wrapping her head around sentences.

"Lily," I said brightly, hearing my British accent loud and clear. Lily froze in her spot, and just stared at me for a moment, looking confused.

"Juniper?" Lily questioned, coming closer to me. I smiled.

"Lily!" I said, loud and clear. Lily's face broke into a huge smile of pure joy. She wrapped her childish arms around me, bringing my head to her chest.

"I've got to go tell Mum!" Lily gasped, breaking away from me, and heading towards the house.

I saw that Petunia had stopped what she was doing, and was staring sadly at the ground. Her fists were clenched tightly, and she looked liked she could cry. Or maybe punch someone.

Maybe I would've said her name if Lily and my mum came running out to me, and my mum picked me into her arms.

Maybe.

* * *

**So, I was thinking of doing a bigger chapter full of snippets before doing a time-skip to when Lily and Severus meet. What do you guys think of having a chapter full of snippets before a time-skip?**

**My birthday is pretty soon...**

**Till next time!**


	3. The Edge of Innocent Days

_April 27, 1964_

I felt the lines in Lily's palms as they covered my eyes. Petunia's hand was in my own, leading me to a certain destination in our house. Today was my third birthday, and there was apparently a surprise waiting for me somewhere. Lily and Petunia refuse to spill the beans. Traitors.

Suddenly Lily's hands removed themselves from my eyes. There was a loud yell of "Happy Birthday" from several people.

They'd brought me to the dining room. Balloons of all colors were all over the place; resting on the floor, flying to the ceiling, with those strings hanging down in my parents faces. The cake sat splat in the middle of the dark wood dining table. It had white frosting with my name sprawled across the middle. There were red, green, and blue balloons that had been painted on there in frosting.

"We remembered how much you seemed to love the balloons at Petunia's birthday party, so we gave you a balloon filled birthday!" my mum said, cheery as usual.

My dad walked in, holding five party hats. They looked like cones that have been splattered with rainbow paint.

"Oh, these are so adorable! When did you even get them?" my mum asked, taking one and strapping it onto her head. It made her look ridiculous, but ridiculous fit her.

"I got it when you had me run out and get the frosting colors for the cake," my dad replied, smiling at my mom. I felt Lily gently sweep past me, going straight for the hats. While my dad was distracted, she snatched the hats. She beamed at me.

"I've got an idea," I said, feeling my mischievous side ignite. I grabbed Lily's hand, and we ran through the front door, and into the nice spring air. I searched around for my targets, scanning our next door neighbors front porch.

"June, please tell me we aren't doing what I think we are," Lily moaned. I just turned and grinned at her.

The neighbor next door on the left was an elderly lady. Not the nice gardener that I usually associate elderly with, but she was rather crabby. From what I've observed from the window, anyway. She had garden gnomes set up all over her front porch, as if to guard her house.

"Come on," I said to Lily, taking off towards our neighbors house. I heard Lily groan, but then I heard her feet pitter-patter along behind me. Time to give these gnomes a birthday make-over.

I held my hand out to Lily, waiting for her to give me the pointed party hats. She looked hesitant for a moment, but then she nodded at me, and gave me the four party hats. I quickly began putting the hats on four of the gnomes. The hats fit perfectly on their cone-shaped heads, and in my opinion, it really brought out the gnomes eyes.

"Hey! What're you two brats doing?!" I heard a loud, raspy voice say. There was a loud clanging from the window to the right. Then there was a gasp, she must've seen the gnomes.

"Let's get out of here, June," Lily said urgently, but I saw that even she was giggling slightly. I nodded, and we took off back to our house.

All that could be heard was the disgruntled sounds of the old woman, and the giggles of two innocent little girls.

* * *

_July 11, 1966_

People hurried along on the busy sidewalks. I thought of how, if I were to reach out my car window I could touch one of them. Not that I'd want to, they were probably dirty.

I guess it's pretty easy to tell that I haven't been to a big city before. Not in my past life, and definitely not in this new one.

We were going to _the _London, England. For as long as I can remember this has been my ultimate dream. Of course, I always imagined that I'd be going here for a more important reason. See, we were just going to go shopping for some new clothes, and then meet our dad on his lunch break.

I was very thankful for my small, five year old body, because it made traveling much less stressful. Petunia, Lily, and I were all packed in the back of our extremely small blue car, and since I was the youngest, I was stuck in the middle.

To make things even more uncomfortable, Lily and Petunia insisted on having a thumb war, or should I say thumb war_s_. Technically I was supposed to be the judge. Of what exactly, I wasn't exactly sure. How do you even play dirty in a _thumb war? _

"Petunia you have to keep you elbows down!" Lily whined, her face taking on a pitiful pout. I sighed, Petunia was bound to cheat, why couldn't Lily just accept this fact and move on? "Juniper, hold her elbow down!" Lily looked at me, with such a begging glint in her eyes.

"Lily's just upset that she doesn't have _nearly _as much skill as me," Petunia boasted, glowing in pride.

"Guys, I don't want to be the judge! Why can't I just play too?!" I moaned, crossing my arms in a pout. Lily was about to say something, but she was cut off.

"Calm down, girls. We're here now," our mom said from the driver's seat. Sure enough, the car was parked in its own space in front of a large building.

A sense of dread swept through my body. We were going _shopping. _

It's not as if I have anything against shopping, I'd loved it quite a lot in my past life. (As any teenage girl was expected to love.) But, as of right now, I was merely a five year old. And we all know what five year olds end up wearing. Obnoxious colors _everywhere._

The absolute horror.

Not surprisingly at all, it was our mother who had the most enthusiasm. She was skittering all over the girls' section like a hyperactive child on caffeine. Petunia was looking at the racks of clothes half-heartedly, her eyes glassing over slightly. Lily was trying o keep up with our mom, catching the articles of clothing my mom threw towards her.

And me? Well, I was out.

Maybe I could find a magazine, and see how Robin Williams was fairing over in America. Or some other old celebrity that I practically shunned in my past life.

Instead, I found the next best thing. A bathroom. A place where middle aged women would usually be found gossiping and primping up their already fluffy hair. Which could be seen as the most horrific things in some people's opinion. But for me, the view was considerably better from inside there.

It took all of the energy in my five year old body to push open that thick wooden door. So much that I was panting very slightly once I was inside. So much that I focused only on the wall of sinks.

I poked the faucets, feeling the smooth metal beneath my fingertips. I took a big hearty breath, and blew it onto the mirror. My plan is officially over. Boredom has already managed to conquer my soul.

There was a miniature click that sounded against the tiled walls. My head jerked towards the welcome intruder, and the sight made my head swim.

In the doorway, with a look of shock spread across their face, stood a little _boy. _One with light brown hair and enchanting green eyes.

"Why are you in the _girls bathroom?" _I asked, feeling the words shake the tension in the air. The boy's face began darkening into a tomato color, before his eyes flickered to the area behind me. His face morphed into a small smile, and he met my eyes with a kind confidence that shocked my soul.

"Maybe you should look around," he suggested, holding his arm out in the gesture. I swiveled my head, thinking that there was just no way that…

_Oh my God._

I gasped, gaping at the white… _urinals. _(Clue: If you see urinals, you have entered the wrong bathroom.) Blood rushed to my cheeks, and I began to chew lightly on my tongue. I stared at the space just above the kid's head, well, glaring would be a more suitable word.

On an impulse, I jerked my body to the left, and swung my forehead down onto the sink just like a child would swing the hammer down on the whack-a-moles. A pain exploded in my head, a pain that took the embarrassment away. I just… I felt so _stupid._

"Ah, no, please don't slam your head. It just brings you pain, and pain is no good," the childlike voice said in a rush. I felt a hand set itself on the back of my head, and the warmth seeped through the sheet of my hair and into my head.

"I guess I should've looked around and seen the Urinals," I muttered, lifting my head from the sink, and rubbing my hand against my forehead soothingly. He laughed, that sweet laugh only an innocent child could pull off.

"Maybe your best bet would be to look at the symbol on the door. Imagine coming in to see someone doing… _some business… _at a urinal." I shuddered at the mere thought. "What's your name?"

"Juniper."

"Pleasure to urinal talk with you, I'm Remus Lupin."

* * *

_December 25, 1967_

Little snippets of light swam through the little crack in the curtain. It danced across my eye-lids, shining down to my soul.

On any other day, I might've snatched a pillow from Lily, so that I could cover my eyes. So that I could block the light out and get back to my slumber. But today wasn't just _any _day, you see.

It was Christmas.

I sat up ramrod straight, feeling the tingling sensation of excitement spread throughout my limbs. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lily. She was still all snuggled up in her mountain of blankets, a drip of drool proceeding from the corner of her mouth.

A devious smirk morphed onto my face.

"Lily!" I yelled, jumping through the air, onto her bed. I landed with a creak from the bed springs. Lilt squeaked, throwing her blankets everywhere and sitting up. Her hands assumed the self defense position, and her eyes darted around. When she saw me, her eyes flamed.

"Juniper," Lily said evilly, glaring at me.

"Lily, it's Christmas! We've got to go get Tuney and mom and dad!" I said hurriedly, trying to prevent a death. Specifically mine.

She immediately beamed, and we took off.

Petunia was sitting on her bed, awake, when we stumbled into her room. She brightened when we came in. The three of us shared ecstatic smiles that brightened the whole bedroom.

The Three Musketeers: Christmas Edition.

We streamed into our parents room, jumping up onto the bed.

"It's Christmas! It's Christmas!" we chanted, jumping up and down. Then, I saw it. Through the crack in the curtain, I saw it. Big, fluffy, snowflakes flooded from the sky.

"Lily, it's _snowing,_" I murmured in a dreamy voice. Green met blue, and we had a silent agreement right there. We clumsily (well I was, Lily was quite elegant) left the warmth of our parents bed, and sprinted through the hallway to the closet. I put my pink snow boots on and and grabbed my green winter coat. Lilly had the opposite, green boots and a pink coat. Our mother thought that it'd be cute to match us.

We glanced at each other, having our second silent agreement of the day. It was a race.

I took off towards the door that would lead me out into my own little white paradise. Really, Lily never really stood a chance, as I was way more determined than her. I had more of a reason to.

As I thought, I reached the handle seconds before Lily, and threw it open. For those few seconds, my world halted in its existence. It was just me and my beautiful white paradise of serenity. The flaky crystals fluttered from pristine clouds, each unique in its own way.

A body flinging into mine brought me from my haven, and back to Earth. Lily bumped me aside, going out under the snowflakes. She held her arms out, and spun around, taking in all that she could. She had a victorious glint in her green orbs when she looked at me.

"I beat you," she sounded out each syllable. But, it wasn't in a mocking way, not really. It was just as any child would, letting the world know their victory.

I stepped out of the house, bringing the door to a close behind me. I glanced evilly at Lily, and took the plunge.

* * *

We did just what kids are expected to do when it's snowing steadily on Christmas day. There was an intense snowball fight that ended in a full out war zone, with snowballs flying through the air of neutral territory. Snow angels covered the area of the lawn, some more distorted than others. Of course, there was one more thing. One tall, towering snowman that had a crooked grin of pebbles.

When Lily, and I were all done, we collapsed down on the ground next to each other, heaving slightly from the physically strain the snowman caused. The snow from the sky had ceased but it didn't take the magic with it.

If only I had noticed the dark shadow peering out the front window.

* * *

_August 13, 1968_

Petunia was a lot of things. Devious, structured, stubborn, and _loud. _The volumes she could reach when she wanted to were appalling. And really, she was loud enough without even meaning to be.

"I don't want to do _this _anymore," Petunia's voice trilled, on the edge of squeaking. I cringed, hearing every single word all too clearly. I looked across the room at Lily, to see that she was creasing her brow in a cringe too. Despite having a set of walls between the siren and us, we could hear everything perfectly. Couldn't really expect anything more from this house. It's strong, but let's face it, nothing ever stands a chance against the great Petunia.

"I'm not a child anymore, I'm eleven. I deserve the chance to go out into the world. To make friends," Petunia bellowed, seeing to shake the walls. I took a deep breath, and it came out a shaking, shriveling mess.

We all know what Petunia wants. She wants to go to actual school, instead of staying here to be home-schooled by our mom. _She wanted to leave us._

"There's a three year gap between Lily and I, and a _four _year one between Juniper and me. I want _real _friends that are as mature as _me,_" Petunia snapped. Everything felt cold and bitter.

Or maybe it was just me.

I knew that Petunia was going to win this fight. She _always _does, and it's not like a parent to not want their child to go to school, actual school. It just makes my heart ache excruciatingly.

School was something that tore my brother and I apart _before. _Suddenly he's too cool to hang out with his sister, and besides, he has _other _more _important _people to hang around.

A lump sat deep in my throat. Ponds sat at the bottom of each of my eye-lids. This is the first step of separation. Not to mention the letter Lily would get in just three years. _They're all going to leave me behind._

Tears began streaming down my cheeks, and I snuffled. Lily looked over, and widened her eyes in shock when she saw what state I was entering. She dropped her book immediately, causing a soft thunk against the floor.

When her warm arms welcomed me, I completely lost any control that I had previously. I wrapped my arms around her, hugging slightly. I began full on sobbing into her small, childlike shoulder.

Before I knew it, I felt dampness slowly creep onto my shoulders, soaking through the cloth of my shirt. Our sniffles melted into one.

Maybe she felt that things were changing, too. Maybe she knew that we've come to the edge of happy, blissful days. But… if it's truly the end, what could we ever move on to?

* * *

**There's that! I'm excited for the upcoming chapters, some pretty major characters are going to be introduced.**

** Till next time. Leave a review, they inspire me.**


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